Polling public for South Bend's new motto

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The city of South Bend is asking for your help to choose its new motto. ABC 57’s Jess Arnold hit the streets of downtown South Bend to find out what you think sums up the city.

Right now, the motto is ‘Building a Twenty-First Century City,’ but the Venues, Parks, and Arts Department says the city has entered a new era, so its slogan should follow.

The department posted on Facebook earlier in the week asking for public input with a four-question survey.

Question One: What is South Bend doing now? Please list three action words descriving what South Bend is doing now.

“Changing, growing, and building,” said Kaitlyn Henderson, who lives in South Bend.

“Reconstructing, remodeling, redoing,” said Horace Hill, her friend, who also lives in the city limits.

“Revitalizing, thinking toward the future, and I think trying to involve more families in community events,” said Laura Williamson-Ambrose, who works in South Bend.

Question Two: What are South Bend’s core values? Can you list or describe South Bend’s core values in three words?

“I would definitely say one of them is community, family values, and opportunities,” said Alexandra Constantinescu, who lives in South Bend.

“Good work ethic. Lot of good neighborhoods, and uh, of course the baseball park’s awesome,” said Drew Holston, who also lives in the Bend.

Question Three: What is unique to South Bend? Can you describe one thing South Bend is doing that no other city is doing, or can you describe one asset that South Bend has that nobody else does?

“Well we have Mayor Pete!” said Laura Williamson-Ambrose excitedly.

“I think there’s a big sense of community here, like a lot of people who are in South Bend and participate in a lot of things that South Bend does, I feel like they’re very proud of it, for sure,” said Kaitlyn Henderson.

Question Four: Is there anything else about South Bend’s identity that you recognize as special or outstanding?

“I definitely say that South Bend has a pretty good mix of internationalism. Growing up here throughout middle school or high school, I definitely noticed that South Bend always tries to welcome other ethnicities,” said Constantinescu.

“I sort of appreciate the way that young people are really taking the city back into their own hands and trying to imagine their roles here and how they can forage a sense of their future here in the city, so that excites me,” said Williamson-Ambrose.